I'm Off for Charleston

My massa and my missus, dey both am gone away,
Dey gone to de Sulphur Springs, de summer months to stay;
And while dey’r off togeder, on dis little kind ob spree,
I’ll go down to Charleston, de pretty girls to see.

My Nelly waved her handkerchief, when she seed me go
Floating down de ribber wid de old banjo.
As I stood and gazed upon her, I wiped away a tear,
And de last word I sed to her was, Far you well, my dear.

It begin to rain a little, de night was very dark,
And when my Nelly said good-bye, de dogs begin to bark;
De dog he scar’t de buzzard, de buzzard scar’t de coon,
Dey all made a nigger run till next day noon.

Dc coon begin to tire, de dog he tire too,
De nigger he got tireder, and he didn’t know what to do;
De buzzard kept a flying till de chickens gin to crow,
Den he came down to hear me play de old banjo.

Charleston is a pretty place, de gals dey kiss so sweet,
Dey am so slender ‘bout de waist, and dress so berry neat;
But I’d radder kiss my Nell dan all de gals I eber see,
Kase her breff is like an orange-blossom hanging on a tree.

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